Track-clamp.



F. A. PRESTON.

TRACK CLAMP.

APPL!CATIO N FILED JUNE 2|. l9l6. 1,254,847.

2 SHEETSSHEET lfi e $7.7? 51 55070 Patented Jan. 29, 1918.

F. A. PRESTON.

TRACK CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, I916- 1,54,47, Patented Jan. 29,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FREDERICK A. PRESTON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOB TO THE MADDEN COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

TRACK-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters IEatent.

Patented Jan. 29, 1918.

Application filed June 21, 1916. Serial No. 104,985.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Pans- TON, a c tizen of the UnitedStates residing at Highland Park, in the county of Lake track may beanchored to the road-bed so that in case of floods it will remainsubstantially in place.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide such a devicewhich may be applied to rails of different sizes, that is, rails havingdifferent sections. Another object is to provide an improved device ofsuch character, which may be readily and quickly applied to the railbase-and which will firmly hold the latter. A further object is toprovide a device of this character which may be economicallymanufactured.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated several embodiments ofthe in vention.

Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of device, the rail base being insection;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, with a portion of the rail shown inplan view;

Fig. 3 is an elevation thereof; 7

Fig. 4 is an elevation of another form of device; I

Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a further form of device, and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view thereof.

The track clamp shown in i s. 1, 2 and 3 consists preferably of a maleable iron casting 1, arranged to fit beneath the rail base and havingthe general form of a yoke composed of a transverse member provided withintegral jaws 2-3 at opposite ends thereof. The angle of the jaw 2corresponds substantially to' the angle of the section of standard railbases. The height of the ver-' tical wall of said jaw is about equal tothe height of the edgeof rails of the largest size to which said trackclamp would ordinarily be applied. In other words, the

rail 4 in said figures is intended to be the maximum size, in which casethe jaw 2 fits firmly against the side of the rail base as shown.

The jaw 3 is larger thanthe jaw 2 and prov-ides suflicient clearance topermit a wedging member 5 to be driven between it and the adjacent sideof the rail base. The wedging surface 6 on the jaw 3 cooperates with theside wedging surface 7 of the wedge and forces the Wedge horizontallyinward against the side of the rail base. It will be seen that as thewedge is driven into the larger jaw of the yoke it fits firmly againstthe rail base regardless of the dimensions, of the latter within thecertain limits. The track clamp is thus adapted for rails of anystandard sections within reasonable limits. The height of the verticalwall 8 of the wedge is somewhat less than the height of the edge of therail of maximum section. As shown in Fig. 1 a clearance is providedbetweenthe wedge and the horizontal member 1 of the yoke. If the trackclamp is applied to a rail having a thinner base, that is "one of lessvertical height, this clearance will permit-the wedge to be drivenfarther into the yoke than in the case of a thicker rail. There willalso be a slight clearance between the opposite side of the rail baseand the opposed walls of the jaw 2. However, the track clamp will beheld securely to the rail between the vertical wall of said jaw and thewedge member. In order to prevent a returnmovement of said wedge, asuitable locking de-' vice is provided which may have the form of acotter pin 9, arranged to be driven The track clamp is located at anysuitable point on the rail, preferably between two ties and notnecessarily against either tie.

The transverse member 1 is provided with an enlargement 11, having anopening 12 through which passes some suitable means for anchoring thetrack to the road-bed. Such means may have the form of a chain 13, asillustrated in Fig. 1, or a cable or bar, secured to a concrete postembedded in the road-bed or secured to some other permanent fastening.

The form of device shown in Figs. 4. and 5 comprises a transverse member14, having a jaw 15 at one end and. a block 16 at the other end slidablethereon by virtue of an opening in said block through which the end ofthe transverse member passes. A wedge 17 holds said block against therail base and permits adjustment of said block to rails of difierentsizes.

The clamp is connected to a stationary part of the road-bed in themanner previously described.

In Figs. 6 and 7 a further form of track clamp is shown, consisting of atransverse member 18 having a jaw 19 at one end and a block 20 at theother end set into a suitable opening 21 in said member and secured inplace by a pin 22, the end of which may be bent to prevent itswithdrawal. This form of device is made in such sizes as to fit acertain predetermined 'rail section.

Although the devices described herein may be conveniently made asmalleable castings, they need not necessarily be made of such material,as they may be made as forgings or in some other manner. I do not desireto limit myself to the details of the various devices disclosed, asother forms of the invention may be devised which fall within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A track clamp comprismg a transverse member having an opening thereinadapted to receive a chain or cable, whereby saidtransverse member maybe anchored to the road bed, an integral aw at one end of saidtransverse member adapted to fit one side of'rail bases of difierentsections and an adjustable member carried by said transverse member atthe other end thereof and arunease? ganged to fit the other side of thesaidirail ases. v

2. A track clamp comprising a transverse member having an openingtherein to receive a chain or cable, an integral jaw at one end thereof,a larger integral aw at the other end thereof, and a wedging memberreceived between said jaw and the rail base side and havin an extensionin engagement with the top 0 the rail base.

3. A track clamp comprising a transverse member having an openingtherein, a jaw at one end thereof having a vertical wall equal to themaximum thickness of the rails to which it may be applied andhaving alar er jaw at the other end thereof and a we gev fitting within saidlarger jaw and having a vertical 'wall of less height than that of saidfirst jaw.

4. A track clamp comprising a transverse member having an openingtherein, a jaw at one end thereof having a vertical wall equal to themaximum thickness of the rails to which it may be applied and havin alarger jaw at the other end thereof, a wedge fitting within said largerjaw and having a vertical wall of less height than that of said firstjaw and a pin for locking said wedge in place.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a transverse memberadapted to be wedged into firm frictional engagement with the base of arail and means for anchoring said transverse member to the road bed.

6. A device' of the class described, comprising a transverse memberadapted to be frictionally clampedon the base of a rail, and means foranchoring said transverse member to the road bed.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day of June,A. D. 1916.

FREDERICK A. PRESTON.

